To the Editor: As a physician and a woman of ethnic origin, I am disturbed that Andrew Speaker, the man with a dangerous form of tuberculosis, feels that an apology is acceptable.

Andrew Speaker was suspected of having TB when a positive PPD test came back on March 2, 2007.

Eight were on the same flight as Andrew Speaker and one was a roommate of one of those on the same flight.

The patient, Andrew Speaker, has said that public health officials in Fulton County, Ga., told him a trip would not be risky.

The Fulton County health officials said they "preferred" that Andrew Speaker not travel but did not cite a specific reason.

Andrew Speaker chose to fly to Europe on May 12, two days ahead of schedule, and flew back to North America during the honeymoon.

Until last week, Theodore and Andrew Speaker had devoted their legal skills to the workaday custody disputes and personal injury claims that clients brought to their small father-son practice here.

Those comments, Andrew Speaker said, support his assertion that while health officials told him they preferred he not travel, they never gave him reason to believe he would be putting others at risk.

Jay Leno Did you hear about that lawyer from Georgia, a guy named Andrew Speaker?

Andrew Speaker was placed under U.S. federal quarantine in 2007 after flying to Europe while knowing he had tuberculosis, then flying back after learning it was an extensively drug resistant strain.